Live-bait retainer.



R. A. ANSGHUTZ.

LIVE BAIT RETAINER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13,1913.

1,1 05, 1 72. Patented July 28, 1914.

ammo r,

75140471) 4. Ally/707? /v'vtneoow 8M [3 32)? M (i-wilt:

THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON. D C

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that L'RUDOLPH A. Alia RUDOLPH Annsorrurz, or sroirnnn, WASEINGTQN.

LIVE-BAIT nn rninnn.

i I Specification ofLettersEatent. Pati July 2 ,1914,

Application filed September 13,1913. Serial No. 789,510.. 1

scHU'rz, a citizen of the United Sta-teamesiding at Spokane, in the a county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Live-Bait Retainers, of wh ch thefollowing is a specification. j

This invent on relates to improvements inlive balt retainers for attachment to the end of a fish line when trolling or casting forbass, salmon or fish of similar habits and propensities.

One of the objects of. thls invention is to provide a cage or retainer which will securely hold the bait or minnow and which will permit of natural'bodily 'flexure thereof in simulation of'swimming movement, as long as the bait is alive.

A further object is to provide a cage structure with head and tail retaining pore tions and a flexible elementadapted to be bent about the central portion of'a minnow to secure the same in place in such a manner as not to interfere with free fiexure of its body. a

Further objects and novel features will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing and will bemore particularly pointed out in and by the ap pended claims.

In the drawing :--Figure 1, is a perspective view of one form of the device of my invention before the bait has been inserted. Fig. 2, is a side elevation with a minnow inserted. Fig. 3, is a top plan view of the device as shown in Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the difierent figures of the drawings.

The device of my invention is shown de-v signed for use in casting or trolling for fish whose habits are to bite or swallow minnows tail first instead of head first but the device can readily be adapted for use in casting for fish which take the bait head first.

As shown, 1 designates a head or front shank portion which. is provided with an eye 2, for attachment to the end of a fish line, not shown. A looped or split retaining device 8, is formed on or attached to projecting upward1y from the shank and secured thereto by being wound about the same as indicated at 6. To engagethe minnow about the larger or central portion of its body I providemeans which maybe in the form of a bendable element or strip 7 l secured to the shank 1, byhaving its end "wound thereabe-ut, as indicated at 8. j The strip 7 may consist of-any pliable material into-shape with thelfinger'sf The terminal of the shank 1,*ispreferably offsetto form a shoulder 9, and theoifset end is'shaped to forni an-eye ,10. The rear or tail engaging portion may comprise a shank, 1-1, having its forward end pivotally connected with the front or head portion by'a set screw 12; Said.rearshankportion is pro vice 13 for grasping the minnow laterally of the tail portion and said device terminates in a beard 14, which projects rearwardly like the heard 1. A fish-hookf15 depends from the shank 11 in a manner to dispose its beard 16,corresponding to beards 1 and 1 1.

When it is desired to adapt vthe device for fish which take the bait head first, a line attaching eye 17, as indicated in dotted lines, may be provided onthe shank 11, which will then become the front shank portion.

When the minnow is to be inserted, the a such as soft copper which is strong enough to resist deformlngpressure as am1nnow--'* could exert but which could easily bebent .vided with a looped or split retaining derear-retaining device whereupon thesmaller I ends of the minnow will be embraced by retaining devices at longitudinally spaced points opposite its larger central portion thereby precluding all possibility of escape of the minnow from the cage although'pe'romitting natural flexure ofits body in a one side of the pivotal connection thereof, it

ment, and as the strip 7 is disposed between the head and tail retaining devices and at will not interfere with relatively free movement of the minnow in simulation of swimming movement. 1

It will be seen that the minnow is not injured when inserted into the cage so that its life will be materially prolonged and therefore it may be used successively, or many times, as bait, as long as life remains. Even in case the minnow should be lifeless, its movement through the water under a swift casting movement would cause a very perceptible movement which would attract the attention and invite pursuitby the fish; The hooks liealong the bodyof the minnow so. as to be in a positionto embed in the; inouth of a fish attempting to swallow the ait.

It is believed that the advantages and utility of my invention; will be clear from the foregoing, and while I have shown and described one specific form of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish.

1. A fish-hook v structure comprising ,in:

combination, a front portion adapted for.

connection with a line and provided with a head retaining device for the live bait and an element adapted to be bent about the body of the bait centrally thereof, and a rear portion pivotally connected with the front portion and provided with a tail retaining device and a fish-hook, substantially as described.

2. A live bait cage for minnows comprising in combination, shank portions disposed along the belly of the minnow and pivotally connected with each other, one shank porsaid last named portion terminating in a,

RUDOLPH A. ANSGHUTZ.

Witnesses;

ROBERT WV. TURNER, HAROLD SOANTLEBURY.

copies otthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissionervotfratents.

Washington, D. C. 

